Effie
by DrkVrtx
Summary: With the fast approaching tournament at hand, Wii Fit Trainer has been feeling increasingly unsure of herself. An ill-timed word from an infamously blunt girlfriend serves only to upset her further. Three-parter, explicit scenes in latter chapters.


I wake up in her arms, and all my doubts and worrisome thoughts for the day ahead are immediately forgotten. Her presence is a warm, soothing comfort, the way she holds me close to her reassuring. She curves her strong, supple form around me, like a protective shell, her long legs crossed over my own beneath the sheets. I slowly tease the arch of my foot along the smooth skin of her calf, not wishing to rouse her but wanting to appreciate every bit of her that I can. I feel her breasts slightly pressed against my back, breath soft against my nape. Its rhythm tells me that she is indeed still asleep. I sigh with contentment, letting my hand rest lightly over hers at my stomach.

Samus, Samus; what a character this woman is.

I remember my first encounter with her, clear as day. I had just arrived at the Mansion that morning, unsure of myself, my surroundings and not at all certain where I should be at a given time. I knew no one personally, only by name and by legacy. So it was that I cast a nervous eye about myself as I walked through long hallways and corridors, fidgeting with my hands as I passed by numerous 'Smashers', as they are dubbed. But, of course, I was now one too.

I didn't know what to expect from them, these veterans of the Mansion. A warm welcome? Mild indifference? The cold shoulder? It seemed at first that a combination of the latter two were my portion. I was in an odd position; the 'legacy' which warranted my invitation to become a Smasher seemed exclusively based on my comparatively recent financial success. I had neither defined a genre nor inspired an entire generation, and I was certainly no icon of popular culture. I was perfectly ordinary, and quickly did I learn that the existence of normalcy within the Mansion was a sure rarity. I was different for all the wrong reasons, peculiar in an outlandishly strange world. But I digress; to Samus.

It was during the lunch hour where I, knowing no one and not feeling very confident, had taken a table and seat to eat quietly by myself. The food was good, wholesome with an interesting blend of flavours. I found out later on that Princess Peach and her loyal (to a fault) cadre of Toads tend to the kitchens. So, there I was enjoying my lunch when I suddenly found that signature mechanised power suit towering over me, a different princess in tow at its shoulder. This one was Zelda I knew, her hair long, brown and crowned with an intricately detailed gold circlet, her ears pointed, pierced and prominent. The line of her mouth was thin, lips pale and pressed together. With high cheekbones and an angular slope to her jaw, she looked severe, dispassionate even – at least until she smiled.

_ "You're Wii Fit Trainer, correct?" the power suit spoke, its voice flat and monotone. _

_The size of the thing was huge, striking a powerfully intimidating image with its thick and wide upper torso, shoulders large globes of burnished gold, and of course the dark, muted green of its arm cannon, ribbed partway along its length with soft neon lighting. Beside it, Princess Zelda was tiny. I swallowed hard, my lips quite dry as my fork hung frozen in the air. I licked them carefully before replying._

_"I am, yes."_

_The movement of the power suit's arm was accompanied by a soft, soon to be familiar series of mechanical whirring._

_"Samus Aran," it said, offering me a large, golden-orange hand. _

_I took it after a few moments, reminding myself to keep my handshake firm. I hoped Samus wouldn't unwittingly overestimate my strength and crush my hand though. Her second metallic skin was pleasantly cool, rather than cold, and after we released each other Zelda drew my attention, introducing herself._

_"Welcome to the Mansion," she said sincerely, offering me a smile that helped unclench my stomach a little, "we've been waiting a while to add another female to our number."_

_"The understatement of the decade," Samus said. The voice of the power suit carried no inflection, so I suppose that I imagined hearing the playfully sarcastic tone she spoke with. "Also, I'm afraid there is no way we're going to be calling you 'Wii Fit Trainer' each and every time we address you. That's not a name, it's a title. So we're going to have to change that," she finished._

_I honestly did not know how to respond. It felt like I had just been given a command, the flat, emotionless voice of the power suit stripping me of the only identity I knew. I was the Wii Fit Trainer; that was all. I had not been in the Mansion six hours and already that was going to be taken away from me?_

_Zelda looked from me to Samus as I opened and then closed my mouth uncertainly, expelling an exasperated sigh. "For goodness' sake, Aran, take off your helmet at the least. You sound like you're marching the poor woman off to war."_

_Samus took pause before giving a small (and oddly sounding) laugh as she reached up to the underside of her helmet. There was a sharp hiss of pressurised air when she touched her fingers to a particular spot, afterwards hooking them beneath the jaw of the helmet and in a fluid, practised motion as she bowed her head, lifting it upwards, over and then off completely. _

_It was my turn to give pause now, and though I knew how obvious my stunned surprise must seem I couldn't help myself. A long tail of hair slipped free first, golden, thick and oh, if only I knew then how I would soon fall in love with it. Her ponytail sat high at the back of her head, Samus casually flicking her hair behind the large orb of her shoulder. I was captured by her eyes when she turned them to me, a stunning hue of cerulean blue that I knew in a moment held so many secrets. Her face held a softer curve to it than Zelda's, her lips full and a healthy pink. She smiled at me and perhaps I was imagining things once again, but that subtle slant to her mouth seemed all too knowing. Knowing of what, in that moment I was not quite sure._

_"Right then," she said, tucking the helmet under her arm, "what shall we call you?"_

_I marvelled at the sound of her voice, no longer flat but full and strong. I heard within it a sure confidence, casual ease and friendly warmth. By contrast, Zelda's was smartly clipped, her tone polite, measured and eloquent. While I sat there looking up at the armour suited woman, my own lips failing to provide an answer, the Hyrulian princess spoke._

_"How about 'WFT'? Nice and simple."_

_Samus arched the thin, dark line of her eyebrow. "An abbreviation like that? No, it sounds far too stiff."_

_Zelda folded her arms, lifting a silken gloved hand to her chin. "Hmm. Well, now that you mention it…"_

_"I was thinking along the lines of our own names, actually," the bounty hunter continued._

_"Oh?"_

_"You hadn't noticed it? Samus, Zelda, Peach; all five letters, all unusual, something you're unlikely to find outside of our little fantastical universe."_

_"I…you know, I have never thought of that."_

_"You almost sound disappointed."_

_"You're generally rather obtuse to small things like that," Zelda replied, rewarded with a quick roll of Samus' eyes._

_And I sat there listening to them experimenting with my name and variations of it for the next minute or so, quite still and silent while experiencing in equal measure amusement and wariness. These women seemed determined to take what was all I had known up until this moment and reshape it, for better or worse I couldn't know. _

_"…Eff-tee. Eff…tee. Oh hey!" Samus suddenly exclaimed, eyes growing round as her voice rose with a jubilant tone. "I've got it."_

_"Do tell," Zelda said, sounding a little weary with her own efforts but curious as to Samus'. I too was curious, and I would later be told that my expression bore resemblance to a pre-emptive grimace. The tall blonde woman, whose expansive legacy walked ten steps ahead of her, looked down at me with a curve to her lips that did strange things to my stomach and set my skin a-tingling._

_"How about Effie?"_

I found, to my surprise, that I quite liked it. And it stuck, just like that, not only within my swiftly established circle of girl friends but the Mansion as a whole, as though Samus had stamped an edict with her authority and that was the end of it. Wherever I went in those first few days, accompanied often by one or both princesses and more often than not Samus, I was introduced to the resident Smashers as 'Effie'. I did like it; it rolled off the tongue much better than 'Wii Fit Trainer', I will admit. And it made me feel a little more comfortable about being here, in the Mansion, about counting myself amongst the number.

The thought of my fellow Smashers reminds me of the duties I've taken up, the reason I've woken up this early in fact. I really don't want to leave the comfort and warmth of Samus' embrace, but I'm very much dedicated to what I do. I don't begrudge it, even now, as it gives me a stronger sense of purpose for living in the Mansion and being amongst so many revered veterans. However, when I move to slip out from underneath Samus' arm it suddenly tightens around my waist, holding me still.

"Stay a while, Effie," she murmurs. "I like being with you like this."

How silly of me, I think with a smile, for Samus was likely awake the moment I was, if not before. This is a woman who roams the cold, dark reaches of space, lingering always on the cutthroat, unpredicatable edge of violence. Her sleeping habits would reflect that necessity to rouse herself at a moment's notice, focused and alert. I can't trick this woman, that's for sure.

"I'd love to, Sam –" I begin, and am predictably interrupted.

"Then don't leave," she says in that soft and lazy way which sets my will crumbling at its foundations. I hate it when she does that, taking advantage of how much I love to be witness to those intimate glimpses of a softer, more vulnerable woman than what she otherwise allows the world to see. I know how privileged I am, for Samus guards herself persistently, in voice and manner, no matter how small and trivial the moment.

"I have to," I tell her. "Responsibilities need attending to, you know."

Samus nuzzles affectionately into my hair. "I'm sure they won't miss you too much if you're an hour or so late. Or not there at all for one day, in fact."

I don't realise that my fingers, intertwined with hers, tighten a little at her words.

"Some of us still have to work at our reputations, Sam."

She's silent for a moment, a long, contemplative moment. In that time, I curl up a little tighter, consciously or otherwise, bringing my hand up to join the other beside my head. The bed murmurs, sinking directly behind me as with a rustling of movement Samus picks herself up so that she can look over me. I don't turn my head to look up at her, instead staring across at the far wall of the room.

"Alright, Effie, what's the matter?"

I shrug. "It's nothing. I'm just being silly, that's all."

"Perhaps," Samus says with a playful tone, and then I feel her poke me lightly in the shoulder. "Tell me anyway."

I relent eventually. I can't help myself. I'm not as hard of a woman as Samus is, one who can and will keep her issues to herself so well that you'd be forgiven for thinking she hadn't any in the first place.

"I'm nervous, Sam, about the tournament. It gets closer every day and I can't stop worrying about it, about everything."

I feel her hand at my temple, almost absentmindedly playing with short locks of my hair, fingertips dancing upon my skin. She says nothing, but her touch is a comfort as I continue speaking.

"I've never done anything like this before. I've never been asked to fight, and on such a scale too. I know I have my moveset; that's all been written into me. But it's so odd, so unconventional, maybe…maybe to the point of being worthless. Is that what I'm supposed to be, Sam? Am I just a joke character? Play me once, get your laughs and then never look in my direction again?"

Her fingers fall to my chin, turning my face so that I must look up and meet her eyes. Her hair falls long and luxurious around her, spilling down her back as she half sits up to regard me. Her warm, amused smile and sparkling blue eyes are framed with gold.

"Hmm. You probably are," she says, blunt and plain and with an utterly casual tone.

I grimace at those words, though I've learnt to expect nothing less than the straightforward truth from Samus. They pierce deep and I try to turn away from her, but the pressure of her fingers at my chin keeps me steady, eyes locked on hers. I'm rebellious however; it surprises me how deeply her statement cuts me, slicing open the fragile wound that is my self-confidence of late and suddenly I don't want to be near her, to hear anything else she would say to me.

I expected something I should have known I wouldn't find with the cold, efficient-in-all-forms bounty hunter. How can someone who effortlessly displays near perfection in anything they put their hands to, great or small, empathise with the rest of us? And so, like a coil tightly wound, compressed and then suddenly released, I duck out from underneath Samus' gaze and touch, roughly throwing back the covers as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed, offering her nothing but my back. And she laughs at me.

* * *

_I could feel the eyes of my audience as I guided the group through the latter, more demanding exercises of the session. It's been about two or so weeks since I started holding these sessions daily; regardless of the name bestowed upon me, my identity was still that of the Wii Fit Trainer, here to help one and all on their way to a good and healthy lifestyle. So I could not sit still long in the Mansion surrounded by Smashers who could most certainly benefit from my classes. The incentive was doubly enticing in fact, after all a brand new tournament was on the horizon and it had been so long since the last. Not all the residents of the Mansion valued optimal fitness as much as others, and none did so as much as I. I was determined to help them all appreciate the benefits._

_I slung a towel around my neck after bringing the session to its conclusion, clutching both ends as I drew breath deep into my lungs and steadily exhaled. In front of me, Mario was half collapsed on the mats, desperately gulping down air. Peach had been quite adamant with him that he should take my classes, encouraging me to drive the point home during our sessions. She was not impressed with his prominent bulk as of late. _

_He was a rather jolly and companionable fellow, one of the first Smashers after my little group of girls to approach and befriend me. Regardless, I would not accept his attempted bribery to let him skip my sessions, no matter how fat and shiny those gold coins were. Walking over to him, I patted Mario on the shoulder and told him he would get air into his lungs faster if he stood up straight. Smiling at his exaggerated moan of complaint, I moved on to speak with and encourage the other members of this particular group._

_All the while, I could feel those pair of eyes watching me. The knowledge of that focused attention was enough to make my skin tingle, my stomach fluttering pleasantly. I knew that she would be standing with arms loosely folded, leaning casually against the doorframe, mouth curved with that familiar, enticing smile. I managed to resolutely keep my own gaze from turning to find her as I made my way between each of the class' attendees, but at the same time I couldn't wait to go to her. The attraction I had felt towards her was immediate and powerful, leaving my lips dry and tongue thick as I sat in her presence. My chest felt tight with each breath I took, the way my stomach clenched when she looked at me an unfamiliar sensation, a little unnerving but also exciting. _

_Somehow, I knew the feeling for what it was though having never experienced it before. My sole function was to accurately and helpfully guide users through their daily exercise routines, but it seemed that stepping out from the bubble of existence that was my own franchise and into the colourful, multi-faceted world beyond awoke something deeply inherent within me. I could feel and think and act as I had never done so before, and yet it all came as naturally to me as breathing._

_Samus was exactly where I knew she would be, posed and poised exactly as I had imagined. Looking at her took my breath away all over again. She was clothed in her Zero Suit, her layers upon layers of armour absent. She didn't walk around the Mansion like this often; it was something of a scarce occurrence actually, and the reason was obvious. _

_The material of the jumpsuit, a vivid shade of blue, hugged closely to her skin like a devoted lover, and as such a lover it painstakingly worked to pay attention to each and every last detail of her form: breasts high and round, the flesh that crowned them the faintest of outlines; the subtle tuck of her waist as it sloped towards the shapely flare of her hips, and the way the shallow crevice of her back dipped and pointed like an arrow to the firm, generous curve of her bum._

_Samus was to many the crown jewel of the Smasher household, and as one looked at her I would think it to be near impossible to refute that claim. But where most saw and could only appreciate the sheer feminine beauty Samus exuded, I saw a little more. I saw it in the powerful trunk of her thighs, in the way the material of the Zero Suit was pulled taut over a flat, chiselled stomach and the definition of her arms, the jumpsuit tight over the curve of her biceps. Her shoulders, seeming to be impossibly huge when she wore her armour, were yet broad and strong without it. _

_I remember when I first saw Samus in her Zero Suit, how my eyes widened and my heart thudded in my throat as I looked upon an otherworldly specimen of health, strength and fitness. Perhaps I drooled a little; I always had difficulty recalling that particular detail._

_"Hey," she greeted me when I walked over to her, with a little push of her shoulder standing up straight._

_"Hey," I replied amicably, patting my brow dry of a light sheen of sweat._

_Samus unfolded her arms, a hint of mischief in her smile as she looked down at me. "What, no kiss?"_

_I felt warmth rising to my cheeks and glanced away. I was nowhere near as comfortable with public displays of affection as Samus was, and the gym presently contained a number of Smashers still milling about. It's not that I was ashamed of Samus or the relationship we shared, it's just that…well, by virtue of being the woman she was Samus already drew a lot of attention to herself. The two of us being in close proximity tended to draw even more, so whenever Samus decided that she must claim my lips right then and there, no matter where we were or who was around…the eyes I would feel on my back always left my skin crawling. _

_Nevertheless, I did enjoy the moment itself and for ironic reasons at that. It's a little reminder that Samus was mine to have, that among the whole host of the Mansion she chose me. She always did this partly to flaunt that fact, I thought. She was unashamedly proud to call me her girlfriend, to show me off to all those would-be admirers I seemed to quickly acquire as if to say 'she's mine, hands off'. So while I did blush rosy red at times when she slid an arm around my waist and drew me close while we were in company, or when, as now, she challenged me to kiss her with half a dozen pair of eyes secretly upon us, I felt that pleasant tingling along my skin and the light feeling of my body whole as I was reminded that this amazing woman desired me so._

_Samus leant down as I lifted myself up onto my toes; she was taller than me by a good six inches at the least. I kept our kiss chaste, pulling back as I sensed her hands rising. My cheeks were practically afire and she hadn't even touched me. Samus only gave a knowing chuckle, afterwards looking up pointedly to the room behind me. I felt the gazes upon us slip away in a moment._

_"What are you doing here?" I asked, bringing her eyes back to me._

_Samus shrugged. "Just watching. It's taking a while for you to whip this lot into shape, huh."_

_I was a prideful creature where my work was concerned – perhaps a little too much, after all I was designed to execute my sole function to the most accurate of degrees. That along with my misinterpreting Samus' tone led to my response being given with a slight edge to my voice._

_"What does that mean?"_

_She shrugged again. "I'm just saying. Slow progress. You're being awfully soft on them; perhaps you're being slipped a few golden coins to let them off the hook? I know how lazy some these guys are."_

_She was only teasing me, really. I should have read that in her voice and her smile. But in the moment I didn't take it that way at all._

_"I've no idea what you're trying to suggest, Samus. My method of instruction is scientifically proven to be efficient and effective."_

_She paused and looked at me with a slightly arched eyebrow. My use of her full name along with the sharpness of my tone might've done it._

_"Effie, I was only –"_

_"You were trying to insinuate either that I don't know what I'm doing, or that the program I run isn't of a valid standard. Well I can tell you you're wrong on both counts."_

_Now Samus wore a quizzical, bemused expression, seemingly at a loss of what to say in the face of my sudden shift in mood._

_"I wasn't doubting you in either case," she said eventually._

_I snorted. "Right. Of course. That's why every other Smasher in the Mansion besides you has signed up for my classes."_

_"Well, I don't need them," Samus replied rather plainly. And she looked at me as though wondering why I didn't understand how pointless a notion her taking my classes was._

_Anger flashed inexplicably through me then and I turned away from her in the next moment, walking back into the centre of the room. Several Smashers were still lingering around and I snapped at them impatiently to hurry up. I had another class to prepare for. Of course the rules did not apply to Samus, who came up behind me as a startled Kirby and Lucas scurried out from beneath my glare. Her hand on my shoulder turned me around to face her._

_"Effie, why are on earth are you acting like this?" she asked me. "What did I do?"_

_"Forget it," I said roughly, shrugging her hand off. "It doesn't matter. You're right anyhow, you don't need my classes. You're already built like you're looking for trouble."_

_"Come on, you know I wasn't being serious before –"_

_"Look!" I exploded, silencing her. I could feel the ache of tightness in my jaw and a hand curled into a fist at my side. Still Samus gave me only a bemused expression, mouth pursed and brow arched at my antics. "I don't care," I continued, "and neither do you. You've made that clear enough."_

_She looked at me for a long moment, eyes narrowing a fraction. And then she laughed._

* * *

Her laughter is like a spur at my back, driving me up and off the bed. I'm seething as I rise up onto my feet, naked but suddenly feeling hot as anger and hurt flash through me. Each note of Samus' mocking voice is like a thorn in my skin, tearing into me. My throat becomes tight and I can feel pressure building behind my eyes, stinging their corners. I clench down on my teeth and my fists and force my legs to move.

"Effie, wait," Samus bids me, emerging from her selfish amusement. I don't of course. I hear the bed's springs groan as she moves, but I am already walking around the foot of it, my eyes refusing to turn in her direction as I head towards to the bathroom.

"I wasn't finished," she calls to me as I wrench open the door. "I didn't mean it like –"

I sharply pull the door shut, its reverberating _snap_ overlapping and cutting out Samus' voice. I lean back against the door then, taking a deep breath to steady myself. My heart is aching, something gnawing at the pit of my stomach. I listen to the sound of Samus getting out of the bed as I reach down blindly and twist the lock hard, her footfalls as she quickly comes over to the bathroom.

"Effie," she says, her voice clear and strong despite the barrier I've put between us, "you didn't let me finish. I didn't mean to say it like that."

I don't care. She said it, that's what matters. She said it and then laughed as though just realising for herself how worthless I really am. I don't reply to her, instead I move across the room over to the sink, resting my hands on the cool curve of its rim as I look at myself in the mirror.

I really am a joke, aren't I?

My skin is pale and grey, almost to the point of looking sickly. The definition of my facial features is faint, its structure plain; the tone of my thin lips makes them practically invisible. My eyes are utterly white but for the dot of grey lingering at their centre, strange and unnerving to meet. And my hair, free of the typical ponytail I religiously keep it in, hangs loosely around my face, a dark but faded shade of grey as though time has already caught up with me, unflattering, unremarkable, just there. Like me.

"Effie, I'm sorry, alright?" Samus interrupts my solemn appraisal of myself. "Can you open the door, please?"

I don't. I don't move at all. I hear a soft thud against the door a moment later, followed by a heavy sigh.

"Shit," Samus murmurs, so very softly.


End file.
